May 13, 2013 – A proposal by Mayor Rahm Emanual to offer free parking on Sunday – but extend the hours the rest of the week during which the city’s 29,000 parking meters have to be fed – is not going over well with 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly.

In his weekly newsletter on Monday, Reilly says he has heard from “hundreds” of constituents who object to the proposal to extend paid parking meter hours Monday through Saturday – from 9 p.m. to midnight throughout most of the 42nd Ward – to offset free parking on Sunday. The proposal was introduced at the city council meeting on May 8.

“We all know nothing is truly ‘free’ and this certainly applies to the Sunday parking proposal,” says Reilly. “Rest assured, families from every corner of the city will be paying for that ‘free’ parking…when they visit downtown for dinner, a movie, or concert they’ll pay to park until midnight. No matter where you live, you’ll pay for that ‘free’ parking one way or another.”

Reilly says offering free parking on Sunday could actually hurt local businesses because the spots could be occupied all day and not turn over for new shoppers.

Reilly calls the city’s parking meter agreement with Chicago Parking Meters, LLC, “flawed, disastrous.” He says he has been meeting with municipal bond experts to determine how the city can buy out the agreement.

Photo: Sign in north driveway of Merchandise Mart, photographed in 2007.